


Once Upon a Zombie

by whutnot



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Swan Queen - Freeform, Zombie AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-10-23 15:37:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10722231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whutnot/pseuds/whutnot
Summary: What happens when zombies overrun Storybook and the survivors must rely on the hospitality of the woman they have scorned and hated? A rewrite of a fic posted on ff.net a few years ago. Takes place after Cora's death in season 2. Ignores everything after that.





	1. Chapter 1

She is halfway through a glass of very fine scotch when the incessant knocking on her door forces her to get up. Her heels click against the hardwood floor of the foyer, echoing through the empty house. Even before Cora’s death, very few people would be brave enough to bother her this late, but since then...Well, since then only Snow has come to see her. Taking a deep breath, Regina puts on her best Mayoral mask and opens the door. It is barely wide enough to see who is on the other side when the hurricane that is Emma Swan barrels into the house, Henry in tow.

“Miss Swan! What is the meaning of this!” Her anger is dampened by the pang of longing that shoots through her chest as she sees Henry clinging to Emma. 

“Jesus, Regina. Shut the door!” Emma sweeps her to the side and slams the door closed, locking both the handle and the deadbolt. Her hair is disheveled, and there is a streak of blood across her forehead. The terror in her eyes sends a tendril of apprehension crawling up Regina’s spine. The last time she saw Emma this scared was when they thought Henry was dying. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Regina gives Emma her best glare and crosses her arms over her chest. “You can’t just barge into my home like this.” She hesitates. “Though, Henry, you are always welcome.” She knows she sounds desperate with the way her voice catches, and it takes everything she has to keep the blush from blooming over her cheeks. 

Emma just stares at her. “Have you not looked at your phone? I’ve called you like fifty-six times!”

“I’ve been busy,” Regina replies with a sneer. If trying to get drunk off her ass counts as being busy. Her phone is in her bedroom, gathering dust as she had given up checking it for any messages.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Regina!” Emma grabs her arm and steers her to the front window, pushing the curtain aside. “Look!”

Through the dark, Regina can just make out figures shuffling down the road in front of her house. There is something off about their gaits, but she cannot quite put her finger on it.

“What? Is it now a crime to take a walk? And I’ll not have you use that kind of language in from of my son.”

The hand on her arm tightens, and Emma, pushes her closer to the window. “Regina, look!” She points to the closest figure, and Regina squints to better see. It is one of Snow’s guards from the old world. Someone who was brought along with the curse through proxy, though no one Regina had a personal fight with. He stares straight ahead, his shoulders hunched to one side and his left leg dragging ever so slightly. Another figure follows behind him, ambling aimlessly, eyes lifeless. Regina shudders as she realizes they are both covered with blood.

“What’s wrong with them?” she whispers, forgetting her anger. 

“I don’t know, but they’re all like that.”

“Who?”

“I don’t have a census, but like everyone almost.” Emma pulls her away and makes sure the curtains are closed again. “Henry, go upstairs.”

“But Mo-”

“Go!”

Regina tries to ignore the stab in her chest that always follows when Henry calls Emma ‘Mom,’ but is must manifest on her face anyway because Emma gives her a sad little smile that says she understands. 

“Hey, look, I’ve tried to talk to him, but-”

“It’s fine, Miss Swan.” Regina does not trust herself to say anything other than that snapped response, and there are more pressing matters at hand. “You said there were more people...afflicted?”

“Yeah, like, we saw at least...fifty more people like that on the way here, and...people are dead, Regina.” Emma pauses, regarding Regina curiously. “Have you really not been outside at all today?”

“No, I haven’t.” The words sounds bitter even to her ears. 

“God, it’s been going on since last night, I guess.” Emma shakes her head, walking uninvited into the study where she picks up Regina’s half-finished drink and knocks it back, ignoring Regina’s glare. “People were acting weird, and I was getting a lot of calls about disturbances and like weird shit, you know? People going around….biting other people and...and I think it’s zombies.” She looks completely serious, but Regina balks. 

“What?”

“Zombies, Regina, zombies!” Emma gestures wildly with her arms, hair flying around her face as if that will make this situation suddenly sensical. 

“Are you serious?” Regina stares at her, trying to process the fact that Emma is, in fact, quite serious. “That’s completely ridiculous.”

“Oh, so it’s fine that you’re the Evil Queen, and my mom is Snow White, and her best friend is a frickin werewolf, but zombies are unbelievable?”

Not wanting to admit that Emma has a point, Regina considers this for a moment. “I do know of magic that can reanimate corpses, but it is very dark and very powerful. Only two people would be able to use that kind of magic. One was my--was Cora.” It is easier for her to cope is she separates Cora the sorceress from Cora her mother.

“And the other?”

She raises a brow at Emma. “Who do you think?”

“Rumpelstiltskin.”

“The very one.” With a heavy sigh, Regina pours them each another glass. “But this doesn’t seem to be like that from what I can tell, and he has no reason to do this. Not now that he has his son.” She cannot keep the grimace from her face. Emma does not offer any apologies. There is nothing to be done about it now. “I think this is something else. You said they were biting people?”

“Yeah. Like zombies.” Emma gives her the look that clearly says ‘duh.’ It is one that Henry perfected over the years, and Regina hates how similar they look doing it. “Haven’t you ever seen a zombie movie? No, never mind, I know the answer to that.”

“Some of us have standards.”

“Whatever. If this is anything like the movies, then there’s safety in numbers. We need to go group up.”

“We?”

Emma looks at her again, like her patience is growing thin. “Yeah. Why do you think I’m here?”

“I don’t pretend to know what goes on in your head.” But something in her chest tightens. They thought of her. Either Henry or Emma thought of her.

“Yeah, like I was going to let Henry’s other mom get eaten. “Emma rolls her eyes. “Do you own anything that’s not a power suit? Like jeans or something? Because we’re probably going to have to do some running and stuff.”

“If you think I’m just going to drop every-”

“Dammit, Regina, this is serious!” The terror is back in Emma’s eyes. Desperation. “We need to regroup, come up with a plan. You need to go upstairs and pack the essentials. Mary Margaret and David are meeting us at the sheriff station with anyone they can find.”

Regina snarls. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to spend any amount of time-”

“Look, I know you hate her, and you have every right to. What she did was horrific, and I can’t even imagine what you’ve gone through, but she’s my mom and you’re my….son’s mother? I don’t know. But I’m not going to be separated from either of you.” Emma points her up the stairs. “Go pack.”

Shocked, Regina does not have the words to fight back because what Emma said is still ringing in her ears. You have every right. No one has ever taken her side. No one has ever told her that what she is feeling is legitimate. No one has ever acknowledged the pain she has gone through. Goddamn Emma Swan. So Regina gives her a last glare before marching up to her bedroom where she carefully packs the few pairs of jeans and leggings she owns. She then changes out of her skirt and into one of the pairs of jeans, feeling out of place and strange. She pushes that feeling down and rummages through her closet for the one pair of low heeled boots that she had once bought, thinking she might take up riding again. The stables, though, only ever brought bad memories, even more so now. So the boots sat unused at the back of her closet. Until now. With a last glance around the room, she grabs a picture of her and Henry that sits on her bedside table and carefully tucks it into her bag.

When she returns downstairs, Henry and Emma are both waiting for her. They turn their faces to her in a synchronized way that screams of shared genetics, and she has to fight the pained expression that wants to work its way onto her features. She swallows and gathers herself.

“Henry, there are some granola bars in the kitchen. Why don’t you go get them?”

For once, he obeys her without question, and Regina turns to Emma. “I assume you have your weapon with you,” she asks in a low voice. It is not just Henry’s physical well-being that she wants to protect.

“I do.”

“Good. And you won’t hesitate to use it, even against people you might have known if it means protecting Henry?”

“Yeah.” Emma’s face pales, but there is a determination in her eyes that immediately sets Regina more at ease. No matter what else, they have always been in agreement when it comes to Henry’s safety. 

“I know Henry doesn’t want me to use magic, but-”

“I think in this case he’ll let it slide.” Emma quickly glances at Regina’s attire, but says nothing about it. “Thought I would feel better if you have like a baseball bat or something.”

“I have one in the shed. Henry wasn’t much into sports, but he did try little league for a short time.”

Emma cracks a small smile. “I guess he got his coordination from his grandmother.” 

Regina cannot help the smile that tugs at her lips in return.

“Mom?” They both turn to look at Henry standing in the kitchen. He winces when he realizes he will have to specify which one. He looks and Regina, then at Emma. “Emma, should we bring some water bottles?”

“Uh, yeah kid. That’s a good idea.” He retreats back out of sight, and Emma gives Regina small shrug of apology. “He just needs to-”

“Just be quiet.” Regina holds up her hand, jaw set tightly as she tries her hardest not to let Emma Swan know just how upset she is. They wait in silence for Henry to come back, Emma pacing the room while Regina composes herself. When he returns, Emma hoists Regina’s bag over her shoulder. “We’ll grab the bat, then we gotta run to the car.”

“Your car?”

“Yes, your majesty. My car.”

“No.”

“Regina-”

“It’s not safe.”

“And your ancient Benz is? That thing is actually probably older than my bug.”

Regina bristles. “It gets regular tune ups and has an excellent safety report. And don’t get me started on your driving skills. We’re taking my car. And I’m driving.” Emma looks as if she wants to argue, but a thump against the door cuts her off. Another thump follows, and the two adults exchange a frightened look.

“You’re parked out back?” Emma asks.

“Yes.”

“Then your car it is. Henry, let’s go.”

Regina follows them to the back door, taking on last glance at the empty house before stepping into a world of destruction.


	2. Chapter 2

Seeing the town she had created from nothing in such a state of chaos should hit Regina harder than it does. But she is too much in shock for the destruction to completely register. On their way to the sheriff’s station, they pass dozens of bodies and countless, well, zombies for lack of a better word. Twice, Emma has reached back and covered Henry’s eyes as they drive past groups of the living dead crouched over an unfortunate victim. It makes even Regina sick to her stomach when she realizes what exactly is happening.

“Should we stop and-”

“We can’t help them now,” Emma interrupts tightly. Regina does not know what makes her ask in the first place. It is not like she actually likes any of the residents of Storybrook. Perhaps it is because she understands the helplessness they would feel in those final, terrifying moments. Regina is well acquainted with helplessness. “Just keep going. If you stop for too long, they’ll swarm the car.”

Regina nods, noticing how the sound of the car does attract the attention of the zombies. She knows she can probably defend them with magic, but that will eventually take its toll on her. Better to save it for an emergency. Her magic is unpredictable in this land, and she feels its use like she feels a well worked muscle, aching and tired. There are limits to how much she can do at once, it seems. Which is beyond frustrating. She is accustomed to having nearly limitless power at her fingertips, and now, when she needs it most, her magic fails her. 

“When we were in your world,” Emma begins quite suddenly, startling Regina, “your-I mean Cora used some sort of spell to send these corpse monster things after us. Could this be like that?”

“I don’t think so.” Regina pushes down the pang of loss that wedges itself in her chest at the mention on her mother. “You say it seems to be spread through bites.”

 

Yeah. Probably any kind of contamination of the blood or something.”

“Like, it can get into your blood through a cut or a scratch, too,” Henry pipes in. Regina glances at him in the rearview mirror. He looks shaken and pale, but he says the words with such confidence. Her poor, brave, baby boy. She has worked so hard to protect him from the horrors of the world, to shelter him and keep him safe. And now the world has turned on them. All her hard work for nothing. “You have to be really careful.” Regina can see that he is consulting one of his comic books. Not one she has bought him because she certainly would not have approved of a coming about these zombie things. Emma must have given him the money. Somehow, looking out the windshield at what has become of her town, Regina cannot find it in her to be angry. 

“That’s assuming that these...creatures are like the ones in your comic,” she replies. As horrible as the situation is, she relishes having a conversation with Henry where he does not recoil from her or look at her like she is a time bomb waiting to explode in a fit of uncontrolled rage and magic.

“They seem to be.” He ducks his head to read again. “Slow-moving, but attracted by sound. And they’re not too scary by themselves, but they’re really dangerous in big groups.”

“Glad one of us is ready up on zombies,” Emma mutters. “Take the back way,” she then says to Regina, pointing down Main Street, which is slowly filling with its former residents.

By the time she pulls in behind the sheriff’s station, Regina is sure that coming into the center of town is a mistake. They need to get as far away from the bulk of the population as quickly as possible. 

“Your parents better not take too long, or I’m taking Henry and getting him away from this,” she hisses to Emma as they slip into the empty station.

“That’s probably a good idea.”

The agreement shocks Regina, but she recovers quickly. “I’ll give them ten minutes.”

“We can’t leave Grandma and Gramps!” Henry insists, looking stricken, and Regina fights to keep the grimace from her face. Her hatred of Emma’s parents only grows as the days go by, but they are still important to Henry. And she is trying to be better for him.

“I’d stay and wait for them.” Emma’s assurance seems to appease him for the moment, and he nods. “They shouldn’t be long.” She checks her phone, and Regina can see they worry behind her eyes. It strikes her then that Emma chose to be separated from her parents to come to the mansion and retrieve her. As isolated as she has been lately, Regina knows she would not have realized what was going on until it was possibly too late to defend herself against the hordes. Emma has no obligation to her, to save her. Unless she did it for Henry. Regina hopes that he still cares enough about her to want her to survive. 

All three of them turn at the sound of the door opening, Emma with her gun raised and Regina conjuring a fireball, ready to throw.

“It’s just us,” Charming shouts, hands raised. Trailing after him are Snow, Red, Granny, and Archie. Part of Regina is glad to see the cricket alive. Despite his betrayal, he still tried to help her. He tried when no one else did. 

“What is she doing here?” All eyes turn to Regina at Granny’s growled question.

“Emma! You said you had to get things for Henry. Not that you had to get her!” Charming places himself between Regina and his wife.

“If I wanted to kill Snow,” Regina growled, “I would have done it when she came to my home, begging me to crush her heart.” She sneers and leans forward, any wall that she may have let down around Emma and Henry coming back in full force. “I wouldn’t waste the effort.”

“Regina,” Emma says sharply. Then, to her father, “She’s with us because she’s Henry’s mother, and she has magic.”

“So do you,” Charming argues, looking like a petulant child.

“Yeah, but I don’t know how to work mine. Sure, Gold gave me like on less, but-”

“You learned magic from Gold?” Regina cuts in, long learned fear and anxiety flooding her system. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Uh excuse me, I needed to know how to create a protection spell because someone was trying to kill us.” The way her head is cocked makes her appear especially irritated. 

“Not you,” Regina clarifies, teeth grinding together. “Just him. He’s dangerous, Miss Swan. You of all people should know that.”

 

Emma sighs and rolls her eyes. “Of course I know that. But I couldn’t exactly ask you at the time, could I?”

“As entertaining as your banter is,” Granny cuts in, “we have more pressing matters.” Her crossbow is hitched over one shoulder, and Regina is suddenly glad to have her there. They may not have ever gotten along, but she immensely respects the elder Lucas woman. And Red, for that matter. She trusts them to protect Henry with their lives. “We have to leave. Get out of town.”

“But the town line is still there,” Charming reminds them. “We leave, and we lose our memories.”

“Yes, and these things can still get in,” Red adds. Nervously, she glances at Regina. “IS there any way to put the barrier back up, Your Majesty.” The title is said with such sarcasm that Regina feels herself bristle, but Emma lays a hand on her arm. It is enough to make her choke down on the biting retort that wants so badly to jump from her lips.

“I don’t know,” she says instead. “Gold created the original curse. He was the one who knew what it would do, not me. I just enacted it.”

“Wait, Gold made the curse?” Archie steps forward, regarding Regina seriously.

“Yes. Presumably to find his son. Had I known, I would have been more hesitant to use it.” If she thinks about it too much, the sheer amount of manipulation that has brought her to this point threatens to overwhelm her. Nothing in her life has been her own. “According to Henry’s book, Rumpelstiltskin became the Dark One and then lost his son when he refused to give up power. The rest of his life has been about engineering a plot to get to this world and retrieve said son.”

Emma’s face softens considerably, and Regina tries not to shift uncomfortably under the all too understanding gaze. “So he used you, too.”

“So it would seem.”

“That doesn’t excuse what she’s done,” Charming says, putting a protective arm around Snow.

“I never asked to be excused,” Regina snaps. “Not by you.” Her eyes flit to Henry, who is looking at her with a strange expression. Once she cannot quite place. Something close to puzzlement, maybe some understanding. She has worked so hard to keep him sheltered. He does not have the frame of reference to understand people like her. People like Emma. People who have to work every day to keep the darkness inside them from taking over. Regina reflects that she has failed to do that much of the time. The darkness in her is so very strong, and it is so much easier to let go than try and claw her way back to the surface, fighting against everything in her life that has beaten her down to this point. Sometimes that has bled over into how she has handled Henry and the whole Emma situation, and if she lets herself think about that too long, the guilt will keep her from breathing.

Sometimes someone very brave or very stupid will ask her if she regrets all that she has done. Usually, she tell them to kindly fuck off, but the truth is that if she lets herself feel that regret that is always churning in the pit of her stomach, a constant in her life since the day she killed the King, if she actually lets herself feel that remorse, she will lose what little grasp on sanity she has left. It will consume her. So instead, she focuses on her rage because, while it will destroy her just as surely as the remorse, it is a much slower process and so much less painful. Her live has become about minimizing her pain. It is all she has left, and she wonders, at times, what it is like for the people who have happiness to look forward to, even if it is just brief shining moments. She would give anything, has given everything, for those moments. They do not seem to be part of her story.

“Can we just like forget the whole curse thing for the time being?” Emma asks, inclining her head towards the window where Regina can see the zombies, for lack of a better term, beginning to congregate around the building. “Regina, do you know how to cast a like protection spell thingy?”

“Yes, I know how to cast a protection spell thingy. How eloquent, dear.” Regina glances out the window, counting how many zombies there are. Too many, she decides. “But not here. There’s no food, no beds, or anything helpful in survival.”

“God, Regina, of course I didn’t mean here,” Emma says. “I’m not stupid--Shut up!” Regina clamps her mouth closed from where she had been about the challenge the veracity of Emma’s statement. “I’ve seen more zombie movies that you have, okay, so I think I know a bit more about the proper course of action than you do.”

“We shall see.”

“Why,” Red asks with a tilt of her head, “is everything a competition with you two? Seems like a lot of unresolved...frustration.” She lifts a brow, and Emma and Regina both turn to glare at her. Snow looks as though she is ready to either faint or vomit, Regina cannot be sure, and Charming just stares at them, uncomprehending.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Emma assures her, but to Regina, it may sound a bit too defensive.

“Yes, I can assure you I have much better taste.” Regina sneers at Emma to prove her point. Red just shrugs, clearly unconvinced and amused.

“Anyway,” Emma gives another glare in Red’s direction. “We need to find a better place to hole up, and Regina cat put up a protection spell thingy.” She says thingy very deliberately. “Sound like a plan?”

“Great. But first we have to get through that.” Granny jerks her thumb at the window. They all gather around, looking at the undead citizens of Storybrook, and Regina feels a blanket of dread drop over the group. How many of them can com


	3. Chapter 3

“Okay, Granny, you and me will take the lead,” Emma says, hoisting her gun and looking ridiculously like those detectives on TV. “Then David and Mary Margaret, Ruby and Henry, and then Regina and Archie.”

“Hoping I’ll get picked off,” Regina growls.

“No, Regina. I trust you to watch our backs.” Emma holds her gaze levelly, and Regina can see the truth there. Then she smirks. “Also, I know that you like Archie enough not to trip him up and let him get eaten. Can’t say the same for the others.” Regina shrugs. There is no point denying it. “Henry, you stick close to Ruby, okay?”

“Yeah, got it, Mom.”

This time Regina is ready, and she suppresses the flinch that wants to show itself. That does not stop Archie from looking at her with pity. The magic crackles at her fingertips, but she clenches her fist and extinguishes it. 

“Well, what are we waiting for?” she asks, her voice steady, though a bit shrill. “The longer we stay here, the harder it will be to leave.”

“Right. The cars are out back,” Charming says, steering Snow towards the door. She has yet to say anything, and Regina wonders how weak a person has to be to let murdering someone who they thought needed to be murdered affect them so much. Regina has done much worse in her life, and maybe she took it took far at time, maybe she had come apart at the seams, maybe she hat let it take over her life, but she has always been able to keep going. She has never let it reduce her to a helpless girl, needing someone to help get her through. How pathetic. 

Nodding along with Charming, Emma leads Granny to the door, waiting for the rest to get in position behind her. Regina grasps the baseball bat she has brought along, noting that Archie has a heavy wooden cane and that Red grips what looks like a crowbar. Regina presses herself close to Henry’s back, hoping to make him feel more secure. He looks up at her and leans back so that his head rests briefly on her chest. It is not a hug, but it is close. Regina wonders when he had gotten so tall. She had missed so much the last few months. Too much. 

“All right. I’m going to open the door on the count of three.” Emma’s hand rests on the handle. “Then Granny, David, Mary Margaret, and Red will go in David’s car, and Archie, Henry, Regina, and I will take Regina’s car.

 

“Where are we going?” Henry pipes up.

“Oh. Uh….” Uncertain, Emma glances around at the other adults, and Regina has to resist rolling her eyes at the excellent planning skills that are being displayed. “Any suggestions?”

“Mom’s house is near the edge of town,” Henry says, looking nervously at Regina. “And it’s big enough for all of us.”

“Regina?” It is really unfair that Emma can make her eyes that wide and pleading. She holds a distinct resemblance to a puppy, and Regina utterly hates how she can feel herself wavering and bending to to her request.

“That’s your grand plan? Go back to the place we just left?”

“Henry’s right. It’s a good choice.” Emma bites down on her lower lip, and Regina sighs.

“Have you forgotten that when we left, the door was about to be beaten down?”

“Okay, yeah, but this time there are more of us, and we just have to get inside and then you can put the protection thing up.” Emma blinks her lashes and smiles at Regina, nodding her head.”

“Fine. But don’t expect me to bake any of you an apple turnover.” The joke falls flat, and Snow actually flinches. “Let’s just go.”

Emma nods, turning back to the door. “One, two, three.” She yanks it open, gun raised, and begins sprinting to the cars. Granny fires off two shots before she is even out the door, and Charming pushes Snow out in front of him. Red positions Henry behind her and looks back to make sure Regina and Archie are close behind.

Emma reaches the cars first, then looks up at Regina, eyes wide. “The keys!”

Regina suddenly feels the weight of the keys in her pocket. The zombies are closing in around them, and she needs the doors to be open when they get there so she can shove Henry inside. “Emma, catch!” The world slows down as the keys sail through the air. To her left, Granny fires off another arrow, Charming raises his gun and shoots a zombie that is approaching Emma, and Red curls her body over Henry as Archie swings at a zombie Regina recognizes as one of the mechanics at the auto shop.

In a move more graceful than her mover could ever hope to accomplish, Emma catches the keys and turns the lock in the Benz. Regina takes Henry from Red and drags him to the car, where Emma already has the door open for them. After pushing him inside, she circles around Archie, bringing down a zombie while he climbs in after Henry. The feeling of the baseball bat hitting his skull makes her sick to her stomach, but she does not give herself time to think about it. She skitters around the car and dips into the passenger seat. Emma still has the keys, and it would waste too much time for them to switch now. She tucks the bat between her legs and shuts the door. 

“Henry, are you okay?” She turns in her seat, giving her son a once over.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Mom.”

“Bug?”

“I’m okay.” Archie seems touched that she asked about his health, and Regina does not like the way he is looking at her. 

“I only ask because I don’t want you turning into one of those things while you’re sitting next to my son,” she snapped.

“Of course.” But he smiles in that stupid knowing way that says he does not believe anything she said. Regina turns back with a huff as Emma slide into the driver’s seat, slamming the door behind her. She hands her gun to Regina, who checks to make sure the safety is on before settling it in her lap.

“All right, let’s get this show on the road.”

“Henry, put on your seatbelt,” Regina reminds the boy.

Emma looks at her. “Seriously?”

“You too, Miss Swan. No need to die in a car accident,” Regina snips.

“Fine, whatever.” Snapping her seatbelt in place, Emma puts the car in drive and peels out onto the street. Charming follows behind them, and Regina sinks into the back of her seat.

They have only been driving for a couple of minutes when Henry’s voice breaks the silence. “Mom, who’s Daniel?”

Regina stiffens. “What?”

“I mean, Gramps told me that he was your fiance, but that’s all.” Henry leans forward so that his head is between the front seats. “Cause I heard Gramps and Grandma talking, and she said somethin glike ‘first Danile and now Cora.’ Is that why you hate her so much?”

Regina’s throat doesn’t feel like it wants to work correctly as she flounders. “He….I….”

“Hey, kid, maybe now’s not the best time,” Emma says, eyes on Regina.

“But we’re not doing anything.”

“Later, Henry.”

Unaccustomed to Emma taking the role of strict parent, Henry falls back against his own seat. Regina swallows and breathes out slowly through her nose. Only Snow knows what happened with Daniel, and presumably Charming now.

“If you want to talk, Regina-”

“Shut it, Bug,” she hisses. Again, Emma places a hand on her arm, and Regina wonders how it is that his woman, this person who took her son from her, can understand her and calm her better than anyone else. She does not like it one bit. 

“Okay, we’re all a little tense right now,” EMma says, “which is totally understandable. So maybe let’s stick with safe topics. Like the weather. Beautiful day, right?”

“Please, Miss Swan, stop before you lower my already dismal opinion of you.”

“Always a ray of sunshine, Madame Mayor.” Emma just rolls her eyes and shakes her head, turning onto Mifflin Street. “Should I park around back?”

“It would probably be safest,” Regina agrees, glad to move away from such uncomfortable subjects. She supposes she should be glad that maybe Henry’s world view is becoming less black and white, but her story is not really on she wants to share with him. Not until he is older, at least. Some things are too much for eleven year old boys. Addressing Emma again, she says, “Be careful.”

“No shit.”

Regina does not bother to correct her language. It is far too late for that. Henry’s sheltered life is over. Emma pulls into the back driveway, leaving room for CHarming, grabs the gun from Regina, and hops out of the car, firing off several rounds. Regina follows, bat raised and ready, and opens the door for Henry, shielding him with her body. She, Emma, and Archie form a tight group around the boy, making their way to the back door.

“Archie, you go first. There may be zombies in the house already,” Emma instructs. “Regina and I will cover the door until everyone is in.” Archie opens the door and leads Henry inside. Regina and Emma stand back while Charming, Snow, Granny, and Red file out of the truck and inside, Granny firing more shots on the way. “Damn, I’m glad she’s with us,” Emma mutters. 

“Same, dear.” They share a tired smile and close in behind everyone, firmly shutting the door against the few straggling zombies in the back yard. 

“Okay, let’s clear the house, then Regina can do the spell.”

They break into teams, searching each room until they had the whole house covered. They find two zombies which had crawled in through the broken window in the front. Red and Granny take care of them quickly, and Charming and Emma drag the bodies outside. When they return, everyone gathers in the foyer, looking expectantly at Regina.

“Anything we need to do?” Emma asks.

“No. But...I could… use some of your magic,” Regina admits reluctantly. “To make the spell stronger. I believe white magic will work better against these...things than my own magic.”

“Oh, yeah, Sure.” Hesitantly Emma puts her hand on Regina’s arm, just as she had done to make Jefferson’s hat work. Regina reaches inside herself, feeling the tingling sensation of Emma’s magic coursing through her veins , and enacts the spell. She concentrates on who she is protecting, Henry’s face swimming before her eyes. For the first ten years of his life, she had thought she loved him, had loved him as much as her shattered, twisted heart could manage. Then Emma Swan came to town, and Regina realized that what she felt was nothing close to what she could feel, should feel, for this little boy. Slowly, painfully, her ability to Henry had grown each day, and she knows now that she would do anything for him, anything to keep him safe and happy. She holds him in her mind, but another face flashes beside his. GReen eyes and shining blond hair. A stupid grin of acceptance and understanding, and a hideous red jacket. Emma. 

The magic flares, and Regina can feel the spell pulling from both her and Emma. The hand on her arm tightens, and Emma leans against her. The spell only takes a few second to cover the house, and when it is done, Regina lets of of the magic. Emma’s hand stays on her arm.

“That’s all, Miss Swan,” Regina says hoarsely. “You can let go now.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Emma uncurls her fingers slowly, giving Regina’s arm one last pat before stepping back. “So...uh….”

“Henry, of course, will take his own room,” Regina says briskly, falling easily back into the mayoral persona. “There are two guest bedrooms and the couch in the living room. You can argue amongst yourselves over who gets what. I don’t much care.” She takes a deep breath and nods. “I’ll start dinner.”

“I’m not trusting you with our food,” Charming protests, causing both Regina and Emma to roll their eyes.

“Seriously, David? If she wanted to kill us, she would have done it by now,” Emma says. Regina wants to snap that she does not need Emma to defend her, but there is something nice about having someone stand up for her without wanting anything in return. So she sits back, smirk firmly in place, and lets Emma argue with her fathe. “If we’re going to make it through this, we have to trust each other. I know that’s like really difficult for us all because of past transgressions, but let’s try to make an effort, okay? Granny, help Regina in the kitchen so David doesn’t have to worry about getting poisoned. Does that work for everyone?”

“Fine,” Charming says gruffly.

“Sure,” Granny says with a shrug. “Always wanted to see what your kitchen looks like.”

“Regina?” Emma’s face softens as she turns to the former mayor. Her eyes ask for forgiveness, telling Regina that Emma trusts her and just wants things to smooth over.

“If she must.” Regina turned and led Granny to the kitchen, stopping long enough to give Henry a kiss on the top of his head. To her relief, he does not pull away. “For a group this large,” Regina says to Granny once they are in the kitchen and she is pulling out pots and utensils, “pasta is the best option until I can do some logistics. There’s a bag of elbow macaroni in the pantry if you could get it.” Granny does as she was told, and they fall into a rhythm as Regina instructs her on how to make the sauce. The entire process is much less painful than she would have thought, and soon they have a simple meal prepared.

Dinner is a silent affair, with Emma, henry, and Archie carrying a stilted, awkward conversation about comics. Charming spends the meal nearly force feeding Snow, who is still in a catatonic state, glancing occasionally at Regina, only to jerk her gaze away as soon as she meets Regina’s eyes. Granny asks a few questions about recipes, which Regina answered, but neither of them care to turn it into a full conversation. 

Emma offers to clean up, and Archie volunteers with her, leaving Regina alone with a room full of people who hate her. She holds her head high as silence falls over them. 

“The pasta was good,” Red finally says.

“Thank you, Miss Lucas.” Regina nods graciously in her direction. “Your grandmother was very helpful. As would be expected of an accomplished cook.” Compliments are not Regina’s strong suit, but Granny just raises a brow, and thankfully, Emma returns before the situation can become any more stilted.

“It’s getting late, and we’ve all had a really shitty day, so let’s pack it in for the night, yeah?” Emma looks around hopefully, and Regina wonders if she is just as uncomfortable and stifled as she is.

“David and Mary MArgaret can take one guest room, and Granny and Red can have the other. Archie, do you mind being on the couch?”

“Not at all.”

“Awesome. Well, I think we should take turns taking watch-just in case,” she adds quickly as Regina opens her mouth to complain that her protection spell is superb and nothing will get through it.

“Fine. I’ll take first watch,” Regina says, not feeling remotely like turning in for bed with a bunch of her former enemies in the house.

“I’m not trustin-”

“Oh, shut up, David,” Emma snaps. “We get it. You don’t trust her. You sound like a broken record. I’ll stay up and take first watch with her, okay?” CHarming gives a tight nod. “Now, take Snow upstairs and get settled.” 

“Third door on the left,” Regina tells him, pointing up the stairs. “The other guest room is directly across the hall. The study is through that door, Dr. Hopper.” Regina waits for them to disperse, holding herself rigidly. Henry hangs around until it is just the three of them.

“Mom?” This time he is addressing Regina. “Could you, maybe...tuck me in?”

Her heart squeezing itself painfully, she nods. “Of course, sweetheart.” She gives him a smile, amazed at how genuine her smiles are these days. She follows him up the stairs. Emma stays behind, letting Regina have this moment. She reads Henry a story and kisses him goodnight. He does not bring up Daniel, and Regina hopes he has forgotten about it. She turns off his light and returns downstairs where Emma has a glass of Scotch waiting for her. 

“Thought you could use this.”

“Well, I certainly won’t say no to it.” Regina takes the glass and sits down on the bottom step. They could moved to the study, but she is suddenly exhausted. Emma seems to understand and places herself next to Regina, their thighs touching. Personal space has never been part of their relationship.

“Sorry about David,” Emma says. “He’s just worried about Mary Margaret.”

“Yes, I’m sure she’s having a terrible time getting over using me to murder my own mother.”

Emma winces. “When you put it that way….Look, I don’t agree at all with what she did. I...I can’t even imagine….I’m on your side. Here.”

Regina snorts.

“I mean it. She’s my...my mom, so I have to protect her, but Regina, I’m not okay with what she did to you.” Emma places a hand on her knee. “And I...I know I haven’t said it yet, but I am sorry I didn’t believe you about the Archie thing. I should have trusted you over a dog.”

“Where is the dog, by the way? I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Cricket away from him.”

Emma just swallows and shakes her head. “Archie wouldn’t talk about it, but I could guess.”

Regina cannot explain the wave of sadness that follows the news. Pongo had always been the only creature in Storybrook who was genuinely happy to see her. 

“I’m sorry for that.”

“YEah. Anyway, I do trust you. With my life.”

“Are you certain I won’t try to trip you up and let those creatures have you?”

“Yeah, I actually am.” Emma gives her a lopsided smile. “And not just because I know you wouldn’t hurt Henry that way.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. You like me.”

“Please. You’re delusional.” Regina takes a sip of her drink, acutely aware of the pleasant flutter in her stomach.

“Just keep telling yourself that.” Emma knocks her shoulder gently, and Regina thinks that maybe she will not mind being stuck with Emma Swan so much. If only she can get through this without killing the other two Charmings.


End file.
